GM’s BrightDrop continues North American expansion by bringing its electric vans to Mexico

August 8, 2023 by admin 30 Comments

GM’s all-electric, last-mile delivery business BrightDrop has added a third North American territory to its coverage map – Mexico. The e-delivery specialist shared details of its latest market expansion this evening, which will soon include sales of its two all-electric vans to the South.

BrightDrop was formed by GM in early 2021 to develop an ecosystem of electric light commercial vehicles (eLCVs), electric smart containers, and cloud-based software designed specifically to electrify last-mile deliveries. Its current lineup consists of three products: the Zevo 600 and Zevo 400 delivery van, plus an electric storage cart called the Trace (eCart backward).

Since GM CEO Mary Barra originally announced the new division, it had garnered orders from transport specialist Ryder, Walmart, and last-mile delivery juggernaut FedEx, who called dibs on BrightDrop’s first 500 vans, followed by an order for 1,500 more in early 2022.

Shortly after the debut of the new division, GM announced a CAD 1 billion (approximately $800 million USD) investment to convert its CAMI manufacturing plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, toward the assembly of its Zevo delivery vans, which kicked off production this past December beginning with the Zevo 600.

This past June, FedEx helped BrightDrop officially launch in Canada by deploying its first 50 electric vans in the country. Today, BrightDrop shared that it is now extending sales to the US’s North American neighbors in Mexico.

Mexico will soon be able to purchase BrightDrop vans

Per news out of BrightDrop HQ today, Mexico is its next targeted market to see sales of the Zevo 400 and 600 electric vans. BrightDrop’s chief commercial officer Steve Hornyak spoke to the last mile unit’s entry into Mexico, securing a sales presence throughout the USMCA:

Bringing BrightDrop’s products to Mexico is a key move in our mission to decarbonize delivery globally, while helping customers take advantage of the economic benefits of going electric. Electrifying vehicle fleets can positively impact the environment and companies’ bottom line. By bringing BrightDrop solutions closer to our customers throughout North America, we can help make the EV transition as seamless as possible.

BrightDrop states that commercial customers in Mexico will be able to begin ordering Zevo 400 and Zevo 600 electric vans later this year. GM Mexico’s president and managing director, Paco Garza, also spoke to today’s news:

We are proud to introduce an unprecedented vehicle to the Mexican market. Its combination of advanced safety offerings, convenience features and best-in-class range make it the ideal option for our customers. Today’s announcement reaffirms our commitment to achieve a zero-emissions future.

According to the company, Zevo 600 production continues to ramp up in Ontario and will be joined by Zevo 400 assembly in “the next few months.”

This article was originally published by Electrek.co. Read the original article here.